Golf putting game device

ABSTRACT

A golf-putting game device which may be laid on a carpet, or the like, to afford a target onto which a golf ball may be putted; the game being convex-upwardly and embodying a plurality of target areas onto which a ball may be putted from a position remote from the game; the target areas embodying &#34;scoring&#34; depressions toward which putts may be directed for the purpose of scoring positive points, and &#34;hazard&#34; formations, including &#34;trap&#34; depressions and &#34;bunker&#34; ridges for creating difficulties in putting into the &#34;scoring&#34; depressions and, possibly, causing the player to receive negative points.

O United States Patent 1191 1111 3,876,210

Brandell Apr. 8, 1975 l l GOLF PUTTING GAME DEVICE PrimaryE.\'uminerGeorge J. Marlo 76 l ventor: John R. Brandell, 1527 Se uo1a l1 n Tflq Glenview, L 60025 q Attorney, Age/11, 0r Firm-Root & O Keeffe e[21.] Filed. Aug. 13, 1973 ABSTRACT [21] Appl' No; 387740 A golf-puttinggame device which may be laid on a carpet, or the like, to afford atarget onto which a golf [52] U.S. Cl 273/180; 273/176 G ball may beputted; the game being convex-upwardly [51 Int. Cl A63b 69/36 andembodying a plurality of target areas onto which a [58] Field of Search273/l80, 178, l84, 185. ball may be putted from a position remote fromthe 176 game; the target areas embodying scoring depressions towardwhich putts may be directed for the pur- [56] References Cited pose ofscoring positive points, and hazard forma- UNITED STATES PATENTS tions,including trap" depressions and bunker" 450 781 4/1891 Hadlev et al.273/127 B ridges for creating dlfficulies Putting into the l.58l:()924/1926 Brooks 273/178 R seering depressions and, Possibly, Causing the1.682.601 8 1928 Cunningham 273/178 R p y r to r eiv negative points.2.325.243 7/1943 Gorospe 273/127 B 3.059931 10 1962 Garcia 273/127 B 5Clams 8 Fgures GOLF PUTTING GAME DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thisinvention relates to golf putting game devices, and, more particularly,to golf putting game devices which are particularly well adapted for usein living rooms of homes, and the like.

It is a primary object of the present invention to af ford a novel golfputting game device.

Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel golfputting game device which may be placed on the carpet or floor, or thelike, and onto which the player or players may putt golf balls from aposition remote from the device.

Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel golfputting game device which affords a novel golf putting practice device.

Another object is to afford a novel golf putting game device embodyingscoring depressions constituted and arranged in a novel and expeditiousmanner, and affording targets into which a player may attempt-to putt aball, or balls, for the purpose of scoring positive points.

Yetanother object of the present invention is to afford a' novel golfputting practice device of the aforementioned type, which embodieshazard formations constructed and arranged in a novel and expeditiousmanner and affording obstructions which cause difficulties in theputting of a ball into the aforementioned scoring depressions.

A further object is to afford a novel golf putting practice device ofthe aforementioned type, wherein the aforementioned hazard formationsinclude trap depressions into which an improperly putted ball may fallto thereby prevent the ball from coming to rest in a scoring depression,and which may result in the loss of points, or the actual scoring ofnegative points.

Another object is to afford a novel golf putting game device wherein theaforementioned hazard formations include bunker ridges or obstacleswhich constitute raised obstructions which must be circumvented if aputt is to result in a ball falling into a scoring depression.

Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel golfputting game device which is convexupwardly in shape and embodies anouter peripheral edge portion over which golf balls may be putted ontodesignated target areas on a raised central portion of the device.

'An object ancillary to the foregoing is to enable a novel golf puttinggame device of the aforementioned type to be afforded fromself-supporting sheet material which is relatively thin so that theouter peripheral edge thereof affords substantially negligibleobstruction to the rolling of a putted ball onto the device.

Yet another object of the present invention is to afford a novel golfputting game device of the aforementioned type, and wherein the outerperipheral edge is polygonal in shape to afford a plurality of entrancesover which golf balls may be putted from outside the device ontorespective target areas on a raised central portion of the device.

A further object is to afford a novel game device of the aforementionedtypein which the target areasare constructed, arranged and separatedfrom each other in a novel and expeditious manner.

Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel andpractical golf putting game device which may be readily and economicallyproduced commercially.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description and claims and are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show the preferredembodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof and whatI now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applyingthese principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the sameor equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be madeas desired by those skilled in the art without departingfrom the presentinvention and the purview of the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRA'wINGs In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view ofa golfputting game device embodying theprinciples of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the golf putting game device shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line33 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substan-v tially along theline 44 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken. substan tially along theline 55 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, detail sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 6-6 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, detail sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 7-7 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, detail sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 8-8 in FIG. '1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT SHOW HEREIN A golf putting game device 1is shown in the drawings to illustrate the presently preferredembodiment of the present invention.

The golf putting game device 1 embodies a body member 2, which isconvex-upwardly in shape and which preferably is made of a single sheetof material having a'thickness of not substantially more thanfivesixty-fourths of an inch and preferably in'the nature ofone-sixteenth of an inch. The body member 2 may be made of any suitablematerial, but preferably it is made of a suitable plastic material suchas, for example, polystyrene. Also, it may be made in any suitablemanner, but preferably, is vacuum formed in suitable molds.

The body member 2 embodies a substantially flat, uniplanar outerperipheral edge portion 3 and a central portion 4, which slopes upwardlyand inwardly from the peripheral edge portion 3.

The peripheral edge portion 3 is preferably polygonal in shape, and itis to be observed that, in the preferred form of the golf putting gamedevice 1 shown in the drawings, the peripheral edge 3 is hexagonal inshape, embodying six substantially straight edge portions 5-10,respectively, FIG. 1. Each of the edge portions 5-l0 affords the outerperipheral edge of a respective target area 11-16, respectively, ontowhich a golf ball may be putted by a player from a position remote fromthe device, the putted ballrolling across the respective peripheral edgeportion; 5 10 onto the respective target area 11-16, as will bediscussed in greater detail presently.

In the preferred form of golf putting game device 1 shown in thedrawings, the top of the body member 2, which is disposed at the centerof the central portion 4, is substantially flat, FIG. 2, and has acentral depression 17, formed therein, FIGS. 1 and 3-5, for a purposewhich will be discussed in greater detail presently. The depression 17is round in shape and the outer periphery thereof is defined by asubstantially upright annular sidewall 18. Elongated ribs 19-24 extenddownwardly from the sidewall 18 and terminate at their lower ends inclosely adjacent relation to the outer peripheral edge portion 3 of thebody member 2, FIG. 1.

The ribs 19-23 afford separating barriers between the target areas11-16, respectively, and the rib 24 affords a separating barrier betweenthe target areas 11 and 16. The pairs of adjacent ribs 19-24 and therespective portions of the sidewall 18 disposed therebetween affordsubstantially U-shaped abutment members defining outer peripheral edgesof the respective target areas 11-16 disposed inwardly of the respectiveedge portions -10. As may be seen in FIG. 1, the U- shaped ribs orabutment members at the respective target areas 11-16 diverge from eachother from the center portion of the central portion 4 toward the outerperipheral edge 3, so that they afford a relatively widemouthed'type' ofentrance opening into each of the target areas 11-16. Also, it will beseen that the U-shaped ribs are of substantial height, FIGS. 3-5, sothat they afford effective barriers against balls putted thereagainstcontinuing on across the device 1.

As will be discussed in greater detail presently, each of the targetareas 11-16 embodies scoring depressions into which a ball may be puttedfor the purpose of obtaining a positive score; and hazard formationsdisposed in position to afford obstructions to the putting of a ball, orballs, into the aforementioned scoring depressions. Also, as will bediscussed in greater detail presently, the aforementioned hazardformations include trap" depressions into which an improperly puttedball may fall to thus prevent the ball from rolling into a scoringdepression, and also, to cause the player to lose points or receive anegative score; and bunker ridges or obstacles, which are raisedportions of the central portion 4, these bunker ridges being disposed inthe direct line of putt to particular scoring depressions.

Thus, for example, as may be seen in FIG. 1, the target area 12, whichis disposed between the ridges l9 and 20, embodies five scoringdepressions 25-29, respectively, disposed in the form of two legs of anequilateral triangle, with the base of the triangle being afforded bythe depressions 25 and 29, which are spaced from each other along a lineparallel to the edge portion 6, the apex of the triangle being affordedby the depression 27, and the other two depressions 26 and 28 beingdisposed between the apex depression 27 and the base depressions 25 and29, respectively. No hazard formations are disposed in the target area12.

The target area 13 embodies a scoring depression 30, the outer peripheryof which is defined by a sidewall 31 which projects upwardly above thesurrounding adjacent portions of the target area 13. It also includes abunker ridge 32 disposed immediately below the depression 30, midwaybetween'the ridges and 21, which define the opposite sides of the targetarea 13; and two trap depressions 33 and 34, disposed adjacent to theridges 21 and 20, respectively, on opposite sides of the bunker ridge32.

The target area 14 includes three scoring depressions 35, 36 and 37,disposed in line with each other, midway between the ridges 21 and 22,which define the oppositely disposed lateral edges of the target 14,with the scoring depression 35 disposed the furthest away from the edgeportion 8, and the scoring depression 37 disposed the closest to theedge portion 8. Three bunker ridges 38-40 extend between the ribs 21 and22 at the lower edges of the depressions 35-37, respectively. The ridges38-40 preferably are substantially V-shaped so that a ball putted overone ,of the ridges 38-40 and dropping therebehind will roll into therespective one of the scoring depressions 35-37. I

The target area 15 embodies three scoring depressions 41-43 disposed inthe shape ofa triangle, with the depression 42 forming the apex of thetriangle and being disposed the furthest from the edge portion 9. A trapdepression 44, which can be considered to be a creek or moat extendsbetween the ridges 22 and 23 below the scoring depressions 41-43.

The target area 16 embodies a single scoring depression 45 disposedsubstantially in the center thereof, with a substantially cone shapedbunker ridge 46 disposed immediately therebelow. A groove 47 is formedin the central portion 4 immediately above the scoring depression 45 andsloping downwardly thereinto.

The target area 11 embodies a substantially straight, trough-shaped ramp48 which extends from the central portion of the leading edge portion 5into the scoring depression17, so that a ball putted directly into thelower end of the ramp 48 will move upwardly therealong and drop into thedepression 17. Two trap depressions 49 and 50 are disposed adjacent tothe ridges l9 and 24, respectively, on respective sides of the ramp 48.

As may be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3-5, an inwardly projecting knob orabutment 51 is formed on the sidewall 18 of the depression 17immediately opposite the ramp 48. The abutment 51 is disposed at theupper, inner edge portion of the sidewall 18 in position to engage aball which is putted up the ramp 48 and flies across the depression 17into engagement with the opposite side of the sidewall 18, to therebydeflect the ball laterally so that it will roll around the depression17. The depression 17 has another abutment member 52 in the form of araised button 52 in the center of the bottom thereof. The button 52 hasa plurality of arms 53 spaced therearound and projecting radiallyoutwardly therefrom, FIG. 1. The bottom of the depression 17 isconcave-downwardly in shape, so that a ball coming to rest therein willgravitate into engagement with the buttom 52. Each adjacent pair of thearms 53 are disposed in position relative to each other to receive agolf ball therebetween. Thus a ball putted into the depression 17 will,by chance, eventually come to rest between one of the pairs of arms 53.Scoring indicia such as the indicia 54 may be afforded in the depression17 to indicate the score made by the player, as determined by which pairof the arms 53 affords the stopping place for'the ball.

In the use of the golf putting game device 1, it may be placed on asuitable supporting surface, such as, for example, a carpeted floor,with the peripheral edge portion 3 resting flat on the supportingsurface, in position to support the central portion 4 of the body member2 in upwardly and inwardly sloping relation to the peripheral edgeportion 3. A golfer or player may then position himself an apporpriatedistance from the device 1 such as, for example. two or three feet, ormore, and may putt one or more golf balls toward the selected adjacentone of the target areas 11-16. ln so doing, the player endeavors tocause the putted ball to come to rest in one of the aforementionedscoring depressions. Each time that the player is successful in causingthe ball to come to rest in a scoring depression in the target area atwhich he is putting, he receives positive scoring points, the number ofpoints depe'nding upon the points assigned to that particular scoringdepression. Such points may be actually indicated in the individualdepressions by suitable indicia such as, for example, the indicia 55,the latter, preferably, being molded into the body member 2.

1n the playing of the game, if the player misses the scoring depressionsand his ball comes to rest in a trap depression, he loses points, orobtains negative points, and the number of points so lost may beindicated by suitable indicia, such as the indicia 56.

If, on the other hand, the golfer completely misses the target area orthe ball rolls in and out of the target area without coming to rest inany of the scoring or trap depressions, he receives no score for thatparticular putt.

It will be seen that, with the golf putting game device 1 constructed inthe manner shown herein, certain of the hazard formations such as thetrap depressions 33, 34, 49 and 50 afford lateral hazards which narrowthe path along which a putt may be successfully effected, as well asaffording traps" into which a ball may roll with lost points being theconsequence; other of the hazard formations, such as the ridges 32 and38-39 and the depression 44, afford hazards of the bunker type, overwhich a ball must be bounced or hit on the fly (chipped) in order tocause the ball to come to rest in the intended scoring depression; andthe ridge 46 affords an obstruction which normally would be circumventedby putting therearound.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention affords anovel golf putting game device, which provides an effective golf puttingpractice device.

In addition, it will be seen that the present invention affords a novelgolf putting game device which is well adapted for use in the game roomsand living rooms of homes, and the like, with the game being played byactually putting golf balls across carpets, or the like onto the device.

In addition, it will be seen that the present invention affords a novelgolf putting game device wherein varied and interesting puttingconditions can be afforded in a single unit.

Also, it will be seen that the present invention affords a novel golfputting game device, which is highly practical and which may be readilyand economically produced commercially.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment ofmy invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variationand modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to theprecise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changesand alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

1 claim: 1. A golf putting game device for use on a suitable supportingsurface such as a carpeted floor, and comprising a, a convex-upwardlybody member comprising 1. an outer peripheral edge adapted to rest onsuch a supporting surface; 2. a central portion a. sloping upwardly andinwardly from said peripheral edge; and Y b. including target-area meansthereon onto which a golfer may putt a golf ball across said peripheraledge from a position on said supporting surface remote from said bodymember,

b. said target area means including 1. upwardly convex ridges generallyin the form of inverted U-shaped abutments having leg portions divergingoutwardly away from each other from the center portion of said centralportion toward said peripheral edge for defining the inner end and outerside boundaries of target areas and affording abutments projectingupwardly above the main body portion of said target areas for limitingmovement of such putted balls across said target areas,

2. scoring depression means, toward which such a golfer may aim hisputt, for receiving and retaining a putted ball for a positive score,and

3. hazard formation means in said target areas for obstructing movementof such a putted ball toward said scoring depression means.

2. A golf putting game device as defined in claim 1, and in which a.said center portion has a depression therein, and

b. said target area means includes a ramp 1. extending from saidperipheral edge to said depression, and

2. having an elongated trough-shaped upper surface extending therealongand along which such a putted ball may roll from said peripheral edgeinto said depression.

3. A golf putting game device as defined in claim 1, and in which a.said ridges 1.extend outwardly from the center portion of said centralportion toward said peripheral edge, and

2. each ridge has two ends disposed adjacent to the respective oppositesides of a respective one of said target areas at said peripheral edge,and

b. said ridges extend around selected ones of said depression means.

4. A golf putting game device as defined in claim 1, and in which a.said hazard formation means comprise trap depressions for affording anobstruction to putting into said scoring depression means and affordinga negative score if a ball is putted thereinto.

5. A golf putting game device as defined in claim 1, and in which a.said hazard formation means comprise bunker ridges for affording anobstruction to putting into said scoring depression means. l

1. A golf putting game device for use on a suitable supporting surfacesuch as a carpeted floor, and comprising a. a convexupwardly body membercomprising
 1. an outer peripheral edge adapted to rest on such asupporting surface;
 2. a central portion a. sloping upwardly andinwardly from said peripheral edge; and b. including target-area meansthereon onto which a golfer may putt a golf ball across said peripheraledge from a position on said supporting surface remote from said bodymember, b. said target area means including
 1. upwardly convex ridgesgenerally in the form of inverted Ushaped abutments having leg portionsdiverging outwardly away from each other from the center portion of saidcentral portion toward said peripheral edge for defining the inner endand outer side boundaries of target areas and affording abutmentsprojecting upwardly above the main body portion of said target areas forlimiting movement of such putted balls across said target areas, 2.scoring depression means, toward which such a golfer may aim his putt,for receiving and retaining a putted ball for a positive score, and 3.hazard formation means in said target areas for obstructing movement ofsuch a putted ball toward said scoring depression means.
 2. A golfputting game device as defined in claim 1, and in which a. said centerportion has a depression therein, and b. said target area means includesa ramp
 1. extending from said peripheral edge to said depression, and 2.having an elongated trough-shaped upper surface extending therealong andalong which such a putted ball may roll from said peripheral edge intosaid depression.
 3. A golf putting game device as defined in claim 1,and in which a. said ridges
 1. extend outwardly from the center portionof said central portion toward said peripheral edge, and
 2. each ridgehas two ends disposed adjacent to the respective opposite sides of arespective one of said target areas at said peripheral edge, and b. saidridges extend around selected ones of said depression means.
 4. A golfputting game device as defined in claim 1, and in which a. said hazardformation means comprise trap depressions for affording an obstructionto putting into said scoring depression means and affording a negativescore if a ball is putted thereinto.
 5. A golf putting game device asdefined in claim 1, and in which a. said hazard formation means comprisebunker ridges for affording an obstruction to putting into said scoringdepression means.